Bitterness filled her mouth and she swallowed hard. Why didn’t Apollo appear to her dad? That would’ve made sense. Why torment her with this prophecy and the task of stopping it? Nothing about Apollo made sense. She’d like to string him up by that diaper he paraded around in. “Big, selfish baby.”
Staring at her laptop, Cassie couldn’t focus on the professor, but typed out her argument for her dad. She had to build a case. She dug through the news, all the information on the volatile Middle East, anything that might lend weight to her plea. He had to believe her.
* * *
Cassie took a break from class at three in the afternoon, skedaddled to the privacy of her car and called her dad on her cell phone. She had to reach him before her date or it would be the middle of the night in Athens. That last dream had shaken her. The memory of automatic weapon fire still pounded in her head.
The phone rang.
And rang.
“I’m sorry, but I’m unavailable to take your call. Please leave a message…”
Cassie cut off and tried her dad’s phone again, but received the same irritating message.
“Damn it,” she muttered as she went for another go at reaching him. “Pick up. Pick up. Pick up.”
It rang, went into message and she ended the call.
Cassie scanned her notes. She couldn’t give up. All those people would die if she didn’t get through to her dad. He must be in a meeting. What was it, ten at night in Greece? Meetings weren’t held that late. Maybe a social gathering. “Ugh. Where are you?”
She called again.
And again.
Cassie continued for fifteen minutes and…
“Cassie? Why didn’t you leave a message?”
“Hi Dad. Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Her relief at reaching him ended as she geared up to tell him her reason for the call.
“I answered. I’m speaking to you, aren’t I?”
“Um, yes.” Her throat tightened and she cleared it. “I know this might seem unlikely, but hear me out. I’ve come across information that our embassy in Athens is in danger of attack.”
Silence met her warning.
“Dad?”
“Yes.” He sighed. “Did your mother put you up to this to get me home?”
“Mom? No.” It did sound like something her mother would do.
“And when is this supposed to take place?”
She could almost hear him shaking his head at her. “I’m not sure, but soon.”
“Where did you come up with this?”
Her stomach twisted. She knew he’d have to ask that. “I can’t say.”
“Is this another feeling ?”
Damn.
Cassie wanted to punch something, preferably a god in a diaper. “Dad, this is real. You have to believe me and close the embassy. Get out of Greece before people are killed.”
Silence.
“This sounds serious,” he said. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll check into intel regarding our embassy if you promise to do something for me.”
Her dad cutting deals was never a good sign. But what choice did she have? “Okay. What do you want?”
“Make an appointment for yourself with Dr. Malvo.”
“Mom’s therapist?” Oh, hell.
“Yes. Those are my conditions. I’m concerned.”
“Fine,” she grumbled into her phone. “I’ll call her in the morning and you’ll check this out. Right?” Forget punching Apollo, she’d rather shoot him for getting her into this situation.
“Of course. Good night, princess. I’ll call you at five your time tomorrow night.”
“Good night, Dad.” The call ended.
That went worse than expected. She knew he’d be difficult to convince, but now Cassie had to see Dr. Sylvia Malvo and be evaluated.
“Damn Apollo.”
At least she had something to look forward to. A date with tasty John Medina.
* * *
Hours dragged on to five o’clock and leaving her last class for home. And her date, dinner with a man that might be honest, could be as full of it as her last failure. Not every guy was a flake. She had friends who’d met great guys. Some were serious and looking forward to marriage. Not her.
John had
Staring at her laptop, Cassie couldn’t focus on the professor, but typed out her argument for her dad. She had to build a case. She dug through the news, all the information on the volatile Middle East, anything that might lend weight to her plea. He had to believe her.
* * *
Cassie took a break from class at three in the afternoon, skedaddled to the privacy of her car and called her dad on her cell phone. She had to reach him before her date or it would be the middle of the night in Athens. That last dream had shaken her. The memory of automatic weapon fire still pounded in her head.
The phone rang.
And rang.
“I’m sorry, but I’m unavailable to take your call. Please leave a message…”
Cassie cut off and tried her dad’s phone again, but received the same irritating message.
“Damn it,” she muttered as she went for another go at reaching him. “Pick up. Pick up. Pick up.”
It rang, went into message and she ended the call.
Cassie scanned her notes. She couldn’t give up. All those people would die if she didn’t get through to her dad. He must be in a meeting. What was it, ten at night in Greece? Meetings weren’t held that late. Maybe a social gathering. “Ugh. Where are you?”
She called again.
And again.
Cassie continued for fifteen minutes and…
“Cassie? Why didn’t you leave a message?”
“Hi Dad. Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Her relief at reaching him ended as she geared up to tell him her reason for the call.
“I answered. I’m speaking to you, aren’t I?”
“Um, yes.” Her throat tightened and she cleared it. “I know this might seem unlikely, but hear me out. I’ve come across information that our embassy in Athens is in danger of attack.”
Silence met her warning.
“Dad?”
“Yes.” He sighed. “Did your mother put you up to this to get me home?”
“Mom? No.” It did sound like something her mother would do.
“And when is this supposed to take place?”
She could almost hear him shaking his head at her. “I’m not sure, but soon.”
“Where did you come up with this?”
Her stomach twisted. She knew he’d have to ask that. “I can’t say.”
“Is this another feeling ?”
Damn.
Cassie wanted to punch something, preferably a god in a diaper. “Dad, this is real. You have to believe me and close the embassy. Get out of Greece before people are killed.”
Silence.
“This sounds serious,” he said. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll check into intel regarding our embassy if you promise to do something for me.”
Her dad cutting deals was never a good sign. But what choice did she have? “Okay. What do you want?”
“Make an appointment for yourself with Dr. Malvo.”
“Mom’s therapist?” Oh, hell.
“Yes. Those are my conditions. I’m concerned.”
“Fine,” she grumbled into her phone. “I’ll call her in the morning and you’ll check this out. Right?” Forget punching Apollo, she’d rather shoot him for getting her into this situation.
“Of course. Good night, princess. I’ll call you at five your time tomorrow night.”
“Good night, Dad.” The call ended.
That went worse than expected. She knew he’d be difficult to convince, but now Cassie had to see Dr. Sylvia Malvo and be evaluated.
“Damn Apollo.”
At least she had something to look forward to. A date with tasty John Medina.
* * *
Hours dragged on to five o’clock and leaving her last class for home. And her date, dinner with a man that might be honest, could be as full of it as her last failure. Not every guy was a flake. She had friends who’d met great guys. Some were serious and looking forward to marriage. Not her.
John had
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